From fall 2019 to spring 2021, I worked as a building assistant in the Operations department at the Centennial Student Union. I believe this fits the application level of the leadership competency. My general responsibilities included: assisting building managers and lead building assistants with setting up and taking down events, preparing and arranging furniture and equipment, cleaning and straightening side rooms and conference rooms, etc. Although I sometimes performed tasks on my own, I was typically paired with a manager or lead, who directed me on what work needed to be done. After my first semester of working at the CSU, I decided that it was time for me to start exhibiting more leadership qualities. It had taken a decent amount of time for me to get used to my routine and feel self-assured, and I wanted to develop my confidence even more to prepare for atypical situations. There will always be moments where I’ll have to leave my comfort zone but having self-confidence can ease major anxiety.  
 

I’ve found that the most challenging aspect of leadership for me is physically applying my personal values in real life situations, such as at work. It’s one thing to reflect on and analyze types of leadership styles and various roles within a team but using that knowledge on a larger scale can be intimidating. As someone who is used to following rather than leading, I’ve been reluctant to try my hand at being a leader. I know that stepping out of my comfort zone is a must, so I aimed for small steps to strengthen my self-confidence.  I began by identifying specific skills I already had, along with ways that I could improve them. I made a mental list of personal characteristics that have aided me in past projects and activities. For example, being cautious and vigilant has helped me catch sneaky but important errors. A miniature goal I created for this area was to work on my observation skills, such as implementing more frequent progress checks (i.e., stopping to make sure I’ve counted the correct number of chairs). I also closely observed how my coworkers interacted with each other, and how I interacted with them. Although our positions each had defined tasks, our roles were often fluid. One example is the phone that we carried around for client calls. The building manager or lead assistant was usually the one who held onto and answered it, but there were times where I happened to be alone with it, and so I had to answer and help clients. Moments like these caused me extreme anxiety and were partially why I decided to “step up” and become more of a leader.  

 

In fall of 2021 I was promoted to lead building assistant and all the little things I practiced during my first two years paid off and have been an enormous help in my transition to an experienced staff member. I still experienced anxiety over the unknown, such as doing set ups that I was unsure were correct, or being unable to understand clients during phone calls, but my confidence has grown immensely over the past two years, and I’ve become more comfortable guiding new employees, directing others, and having clients rely on me. Another thing that helped was observing how the other leads and managers behave, especially since several of them were recently promoted like me. One of the managers was an assertive and confident person, and this was reflected in the work she did and the leadership she displayed. She was firm and self-assured when giving directions, but also patient with new learners and open to suggestions from others. Due to these qualities, I felt I was always able to be productive and accomplished when working with her, as well as when I tried to imitate her leadership style. I’ve been trying to find a balance between being friendly and approachable while still having work be my main focus. In the past, there have been managers that were extremely sociable and easygoing but didn’t always get the necessary work done. As much as I want to get things done, I also don’t want to be completely isolated from my coworkers.  

 

 

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This leadership style has worked well for me, as the new assistants have both been listening to me when I tell them what must be done, and coming to me when they need help or have questions. By spring of 2022, I was promoted to Building Manager, and I still work as one to this day. My experience in the assistant and lead assistant roles helped immensely in preparing to take on more of an active leadership role, and I found confidence within myself that I didn’t believe I’d ever uncover. In fall of 2022, I was even nominated for the BEST Board, a display in the CSU that highlights student leadership on campus every semester. For my remaining time at the CSU, I plan on continuing to establish and shape that confidence to further progress as a leader and team player. I hope to contribute to productive and effective outcomes that will benefit the Centennial Student Union, along with its many staff and clients. 

  

Attached below is a job performance evaluation done by my supervisor, as well as the blog post detailing my BEST board nomination.